Armor-belt section for war-ships.



L. GATHMANN.

ARMOR BELT SECTION FOR WAR SHIPS.

APPLICATION FILED IUNE 28,1915.

Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

2 SHEETSMSHEETI OOO L. GATHMANN. ARMOR BELT SECTION FOR WAR SHIPS.

APPLICATION FILED IUNE 28,1915.

Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

2 SHEETSMSHEET 2.

a a n 644 PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS GATHMAN'N, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT 0F-COLUMBIA.

.ABMORF'BE'LT SECTION FOR WAR-SHIPS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

i Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

Application led June 28, 1915. Serial No. 36,693.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS GATHMANN,a citizen of the United States, residing at lVashington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Armor-Belt Sections for IVar- Ships, of which the following is a. specification.

My invention relates to armor-belt-sections for war-ships, in which provision is made for obtaining the greatest resistance without an undue increase in weight, and

the primary object of my invention is to produce a belt having these characteristics.

The present armor belt gives no protection to our ships against modern guns and shells; even at extreme fighting range; because it a proper high explosive shell explodes against the armor belt of our armored ship, then it will destroy the fiat armor; and further, the gases generated by the explosive transmits pressure on the water, which breaches the ship also below the armor belt and sinks it. Therefore, in actual conflict with a modern navy the present armor by its great weight would facilitate the sinking of our battleships, instead of protecting them from sinking.

According to my present invention, I have devised a new means of forming a complete armor and shock-absorbing belt section, by which armored ships can resist the attack from armor-piercing and high explosive shells, torpedoes and floating mines. Beams are placed on edge, because they render in this direction the greatest support.

In my application for patent, Serial No. 868,806 armor plate, filed Oct. 27, 1914, I haveshown such armor plates, in combination with a shock-absorbing belt, but without complete closed sections.

According to my present invention I have devised a new way of forming a complete` chambered and closed section of armor and shock-absorbing belt section.

In the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 is a perspective view of my combined armor plate and shock-absorbing belt section, constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view, resting against the hull of a vesse Fig. 3 is a detail view on an enlarged scale. Fig. 4 shows a transverse section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, also on an enlarged scale. Fig. 5 shows a chambered and closed section of transverse section of chambers 5 on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

In the several views 1 indicates the armor plate; 3 the front and 4 the rear face of the plate; 2 indicates the shock-absorbing belt section. The plate 1 is provided with horizontally disposed chambers 5, which are provided with ribs 7 said ribs are oblique with relation to the armor face. Should a projectile penetrate into the hard face of the armor it would force its way through the line of least resistance and thereby glancing upward, downward or sideward as the case may be, turning or tilting the projectile, thereby as indicated in Fig. 4, destroying its penetrating power; such shells may fracture or explode, penetrating such armor.

The chambers 5 and 6 may be formed by the use of dry sand cores, or by metal tubes, the latter would combine with thecasting and are then a part of the armor. The chambers may be closed at b with a plug a as shown in Fig. 5. The second line of chambers is indicated by 6, which may be smooth or ribbed similar as the first line 5. The armor plate rests on the Cotter-dam or hull of a vessel and is secured by bolts 4.- in the usual manner.

The armor 1 is formed with the extension 8, to which is secured a downwardly extending plate 9 which covers a portion of the hull of a ship. A curved front plate 10 is secured to the armor 1 and to the end plates 10a by the flanges 10b and to the plate 9 as shown in Fig. l, making each section complete as a unit, and water tight. In this way I can conveniently apply mv combined armor and shock-absorbing belt sections, not only to new vessels, but also to any old armored craft, after its present armor' belt is removed: And such obsolete war vessels would be able to resist the attack from guns of far larger caliber, without increasing the weight of armor.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 4 A indicates a projectile when it entered such an armor plate, and B, after the same is deflected. D, indicates a draining tube. 1l. is the cofferdam and 12 the hull of the ship.

Many modifications of the invention may be made without departing from the novel features of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. Armor plate having within it chambers but, without which are provided with ribs formed integrally with the chamber walls and projecting into the chambers.

2. Armor plate having within it chambers which are provided with ribs formed integrally with the chamber Walls, oblique to the face of the plate and projecting into the chambers. A

3. Armor, plate having a plain, smooth outer face and within it chambers provided with ribbed walls.

4. Armor plate having within it hor-- zontall)T arranged chambers formed with ribs, disposed obliquely with reference to the face of the plate and projecting into the chambers.

5. The combination with the ships hull of armor plate secured thereto, and a shockabsorbing belt, applied to the hull below the armor plate, comprising a rear plate (9).

conforming to the outer ace of the hull to which it is directly applied and a convexly curved front plate attached at its upper end to the armor plate and at its lower end to said rear plate and afterward to the hull of the ship. y Y

6. The combination with an armor belt section of a shock-absorbing section, consisting of tive walls; (a) the armor plate 1, (b) the rear plate 9, (c) the front plate 10, and (d) and -(e) comprising -flanged plates 10a.

7. The combination with an armor belt section of a shock-absorbing section, consisting of live walls; (a) the armor plate 1, (b) rear plate 9 having practically the same plane as the adjacent hull of the ship, (o) the ront plate 10 having a conveXly curved front lfarce, and (d) and (e) consisting of flanged plates 10B. A

8. An armor-plate formed with a series'of chambers,'some of which are located in the4 rear of the others, but at a dilferent. plane.

9. The combination Vwith an armor belt section, of a shock-absorbing section, consisting of live walls; viz: the armor plate 1, the rear plate 9, the front plate 10 having a convexly curved front face, and the flanged end plates 10.

10. The combination with an armor belt 4section of a shock-absorbing section, con*` sisting of iive walls, viz; the armor plate 1, having a downwardly extending portion 8,

which forms the upper wall of rear plate 9, Y l

low the armor plate, and the front plate 10 having a convexly curved front face.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature. LOUIS GATHMANN. Y 

